Well, I made another kayak hunting trip on a WMA near my home. We had a front come through with some rain and wind and I was hoping to capatilize on some early morning movement. Got to my launch spot and the fog was really thick before daylight. Parked my truck ,got my seat and fanny pack on, grabbed the paddle, bow and the yak and drug it down to the bank of the bayou and there were alligator eyes reflecting back at me 5 feet from the bank - I love it!!!
After 20 minutes of paddling I arrive at the entrance to a slough that dumps into the bayou. I was hoping to catch a deer or hog crossing. There are scattered oaks - very scatterred - on both sides of the slough with bedding area everywhere. We have these ferns that grow about 2-3 feet high all over the place so a deer can bed wherever it wants to.
Here is the entrance to the slough from the spot I set up on looking back from where I was hunting. At the end of the "tunnel" is where the yak is parked.
(http://i.imgur.com/o3OOlQq.jpg)
Sweet, love me some yak hunts.
:campfire: Love that swamp huntin!
I set my SPOT 360 seat up against the trunk of a big tree looking up the slough. The banks are high on both sides and I could not see into the forest on either side but I could see 150 yards up the slough. The high bank had a dip in it about 25 yards in front of my set up where the forest floor drained into that slough from both sides. It looked like a natural crossing to me and I was in good position for a shot if a deer or hog utilized it.
From this spot I could also watch a large stretch of the slough ahead of me and if something crossed I could mark that area and come back and hunt it.
My set up.
(http://i.imgur.com/dzZrkET.jpg)
A rare sight - a straight slough in South LA.
(http://i.imgur.com/0mwG4U8.jpg)
These are usually holding water. Its been dry.
(http://i.imgur.com/6qX9s9b.jpg)
At 8:45 I decided I would get my camera out to take a few pictures. This my friend was a mistake! I took a picture up the slough and then turned to my right to take another and something busted to my front left on top the slough bank. It did not bound away like a deer. More like a bowling ball just going through ferns and stuff.
I couldn't believe it! I sat motionless for an hour and then try to take a few pictures and this animal picks that exact time to come down that drain. In my mind I was thinking hog and I got confirmation a few minutes later. A gust of wind came straight at me from up the slough and the unmistakable aroma of Mr. Pig hit my nose. I am always in the market for some pork sausage and I was bummed!
I hunted a few more minutes but E-mails started arriving on my I-Phone so it was time to go and get some work done. As I paddled back to the truck it was hard to be too disappointed. It is a beautiful morning, I got to hunt with my recurve, I was near a critter on the ground and I had absolutley no one near me hunting because I am in this kayak. That's not a recipe for a gumbo but it sure is a recipe for a good morning.
(http://i.imgur.com/TjV26RV.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/23APBdG.jpg)
:thumbsup:
cool pic
Very cool!
Sounds like a great morning! :thumbsup:
Enjoyable morning, no doubt! Thanks for sharing. :thumbsup:
8:45 not a real good time to fuss with a camera. Oh well, live and learn.
Can you (and others too) show us what you do and how you pack your craft with the gear you need for a hunt ? What do / can you carry ? How about getting a critter out ?
ChuckC
:archer:
Good stuff! There is nothing like slipping in with the yak:)
(http://i1123.photobucket.com/albums/l544/dwilber88/Mobile%20Uploads/1015131432_zps19752ae9.jpg) (http://s1123.photobucket.com/user/dwilber88/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1015131432_zps19752ae9.jpg.html)
Love it Todd. Where do you live? I'm from Lafayette
Love this kind of post. Hope to see a deer or pig laying in the bow of that yak soon!
That 360 Seat looks Mighty Comfy!!
Love the kayak threads! Me and my boy have a couple Native ultimate 12's that I would love to get some blood in. Hopefully someday, I'll get to do a kayak hunt!
QuoteOriginally posted by Jerry Jeffer:
8:45 not a real good time to fuss with a camera. Oh well, live and learn.
9:00 would have been better! LOL! Might have been taking a picture of a hog. That won't be happening any time soon again.
Nomad. is that a WS Pungo ?
I have a drab brown and a purple one ! OK the purple one is my wife's.
ChuckC
Sounds like a great morning for sure !
QuoteOriginally posted by ChuckC:
Can you (and others too) show us what you do and how you pack your craft with the gear you need for a hunt ? What do / can you carry ? How about getting a critter out ?
ChuckC
Chuck, Here is a pic of the yak with all the gear I carry in it. My bow is bungeed to the front, my SPOT 360 hunting seat is behind the seat and an ice chest behind that when I am staying all day. My fanny pack sits between my legs on top my life vest when I carry the ice chest. If no ice chest my fanny pack goes where the ice chest is.
I have never packed out a deer or hog YET,(I do have plans to do that very soon). This is only my 4th trip in the yak but this is what I was thinking. The bow goes in the back on top of the seat and fanny pack and the animal goes in my lap and onto the front of the yak. If everybody stays dry- that would be good.
(http://i.imgur.com/xfcaG4u.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/6Dqj3Ki.jpg)
QuoteOriginally posted by Shakes.602:
That 360 Seat looks Mighty Comfy!!
:thumbsup: :goldtooth:
Nomad, That's a nice rig you got there. Lot's of places to hunt like that where you are?
QuoteOriginally posted by awbowman:
Love it Todd. Where do you live? I'm from Lafayette
AW, I am 15 miles down the road in Cecilia.
Thank you. I don't have that much room in mine. Mine is a "sit IN", but I do have a lot of tie downs I inserted along the decking, mostly for holding camo grass mats.
I guess I could strap my bow in the front, as you do. I have some room behind the seat and under the decking for a smaller soft cooler and my fanny pack and ghillie suit.
Getting out is a bit tougher for me with my sit in. I need to work that out. Not so bad if I can just scoot into a shallow firm bottom or sandy area, but if there is a bank, well, it isn't pretty.... funny maybe, but not pretty.
Getting a deer out would be interesting. I am thinking, strap it on top of the bow, my bow on top of that, and paddle VERY carefully.
ChuckC
:thumbsup: cool stuff......
Chuck,
Not sure if you already do this but I found that it is much easier for me to get out of the kayak if after I stand up with one leg on each side of the yak that I just push the yak back between my legs behind me and get the yak out of my way. Then I bring my feet together instead of throwing one leg over one side of the yak (which is when it gets funny for me). Hope that made sense.
I haven't yet done that, but I thunk thru to that.
Actually, the standing up part is the first step. I have normally always gotten out one side or the other.
I am guessing if I just put a foot out and on each side of the craft, then push, hoist, whatever.. get the rest of me standing, then do as you say, it would work. I will try this out shortly.
Thanks
ChuckC
Thanks for taking me along. Made my day. I hut Government land and have been shut out due to military training all but one day this year so far. :thumbsup: :archer2:
Thanks for the post. I hunt out of my yak a lot here in Ga. I bone all my meat out and place it in a cooler on the back of my yak. A lot more stable that way. I have a Jackson Cuda and a Coosa but really enjoy the Coosa for slipping around in. I actually have shot game out of it standing up just drifting along.
Very cool
Wudstik, You are very welcome sir.
Jeff, They won't let us bone out our meat where I hunt. If they did this whole deal of hauling out a deer or hog would be BUTTER!
Got pics of your yaks??
Just got back from another excursion. Hunted that slough a little further up and also up on the top of the bank looking down into it. Had fresh sign from last night or early this morning. I got out there about 9 am cause the feed times were more midday.
Sat till 12 noon and didn't see a thing. Wind was blowing 15-20 so I am thinking that is what kept them down Or I am not in the right spot just yet.
I decided to pack up and go scout up the slough a little further and right when I stood up I saw something in the deep part of the slough. It was a river otter and I came dang close to getting a picture of that dude at about 10 yards.
I found some other spots to hunt and then paddled up a feeder bayou where I had found some hog sign a few weeks ago. Hogs have left but there was a huge buck track in there. On the way out I got about 10 feet from this little fella!
(http://i.imgur.com/zYlQ0E0.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/HhDLvyp.jpg)
A baby snapping turtle just under the surface.
(http://i.imgur.com/JD7uL0f.jpg)
Cool, I have been thinking about getting a Kayak myself.
I will get some pics tomorrow and post them.
Kayak= Vessel used for taking pictures and leisure fishing.
Canoe= Meat hauling craft of the Traditional bowhunter. :biglaugh:
(http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee391/rjwalton8/P1010522.jpg) (http://s1225.photobucket.com/user/rjwalton8/media/P1010522.jpg.html)
(http://i1225.photobucket.com/albums/ee391/rjwalton8/P1010530.jpg) (http://s1225.photobucket.com/user/rjwalton8/media/P1010530.jpg.html)
That is TOO COOL. I'd like to try something like that.
There is a WMA I am thinking of hunting and it has 2 parts to it and one is accessible ONLY by boat. I've never been there yet, just been told about it.
I don't know if I have any swamps like you do here in the Houston area, there might be in the Piney Woods areas.
Better keep an eye out for the Honey Island Swamp Monster...
Nalajr
(http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL285/1460516/24261278/405697710.jpg)
fully loaded canoe for 4-5 days in Georgia in February chasing hogs...big 90qt coolers take up a lot of space even when empty. :)
Cool way to hunt. I've used pirogues and canoes to get back up the bayous, but never a kayak.
Man thats awesome! I am located in BR and I was just talking to a buddy about taking our kayaks out to Cat Island and do some scouting around.
cool post, thanks!
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob W.:
[QB] Kayak= Vessel used for taking pictures and leisure fishing.
Canoe= Meat hauling craft of the Traditional bowhunter. :pray: :biglaugh:
Ron,
A 4-5 day trip like that sounds like the way to do it. No load like that going in a yak that's for sure.
They had a guy posted about a trip down the 11 Point River he is on right now for about a week. I have to do that one day.
yeah I took more than I needed given the other 6 guys I was meeting on the river...but have a hard time relying on anyone else when I can do it myself. Fewer clothes, smaller cooler...pack everything I can in cooler and have dry bags in case I make meat. LOL....and carry water in containers on way out too to help with weight up front or you will spin like a top from wind on bow. LOL
Thinking about a Native Slayer 14.5 or Jackson Gilroy/Cuda setup too for trips...but only used canoes my entire life....used to having the ability to haul loads if needed. :)
Ought to join PBS and join us on the hog hunt this Feb 2014 again....
Here i am paddling out on last day...if I would have filled my water containers up again even with river water my bow would not have been so high....or lose 40lbs myself and help on the other end. LOL
(http://pic40.picturetrail.com/VOL285/1460516/24261278/405729369.jpg)
I really like those kayak set ups, but I'm going to agree with Rob W. However, if you are using a kayak, then you have a cool rig.
Canoes are fine when you have the depth of water that you guys are in but there is a reason that in South LA people invented pirougues. Basinboy had a post a while back and he had killed a doe using a pirougue to get back into an area.
Canoes will "wear you out" trying to get it over and through some of the swamp that we hunt in. In the bayou I am in now it would be fine but the feeder creek I go into I am pushing over to many fallen trees to use a canoe.
If I choose to purchase a water craft for where I hunt, I would purchase the pirougue, which lets you carry a lot because of the open inside and yet it drafts a lot shallower. The flat bottom is also much stabler than a canoe and you can stand and push pole through stuff a canoe would never go.
The yak is borrowed so it offers me the chance to see if this type of hunting will warrant a purchase of something that fits where I hunt.
I love using my rig, one of these days I'll be towing a deer.
(http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq354/jandy2225/IMG_20131020_130306_102.jpg)
(http://i463.photobucket.com/albums/qq354/jandy2225/IMG_20131020_133533_506.jpg)
QuoteOriginally posted by John146:
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob W.:
[QB] Kayak= Vessel used for taking pictures and leisure fishing.
Canoe= Meat hauling craft of the Traditional bowhunter. :pray: :biglaugh: [/b]
I hope you do buddy! I would like to get a yak too.
A couple weeks ago I hunted with a guy in a full kevlar 16' Wenonah. Way out of my price range but so sweet. Felt like we weren't even touching the water compared to mine.
Day dreamer that is a nice rig!
I take my 16.5 foot canoe in water as shallow as 6 inches....I have to get in the center if alone but doable. LOL If any shallower I get out and float it through the skinny water. I chase redfish all day long in the canoe....but am looking at a Jackson Gilroy or Cuda for even skinnier water. :)
Good looking yaks and canoes. Here is mine. (http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt210/jeff-roberts/fishing/Kayaks%20and%20canoes/photo17_zps1457fe22.jpg) (http://s612.photobucket.com/user/jeff-roberts/media/fishing/Kayaks%20and%20canoes/photo17_zps1457fe22.jpg.html)
Day Dreamer- That is a VERY nice rig!
Jeff, I love that Yak on the left in your picture. Seen some guys fishing the marshes for Redfish in those things standing up.
Ron, That is a classic looking picture. That sure is a load your carrying in that canoe.
Tell me more about that hunt you guys do in February. Can you send me some info by e-mail?
Get pics, very interesting post ... thanks for sharing. Anyone do this in cold weather ?
oops ... double post
mine was in February 2013...5-15mph winds...temps at night in 28-34* range....60s during day. Not cold to some.....freezing cold to others depending on where you are from. Here in south ...that is cold. :)
QuoteOriginally posted by John146:
Ron, That is a classic looking picture. That sure is a load your carrying in that canoe.
Tell me more about that hunt you guys do in February. Can you send me some info by e-mail?
yeah the biggest load is in the stern... :) will send you a PM on trip
The yak on the left in my pic is a Coosa and the one on the trailer is a Cuda. Can stand in either one but I do my hunting and bowfishing out of the Coosa.
For load carrying capacity I had a 17'3" Old Town Tripper, #1,500 lb capacity. My son and I did many a 3 day float trips on the Shenandoah River in VA with it over the years. Now it's being used by my 3 grandsons. I gave them an old 2hp Suzuki and bracket so paddling is done for.
Brock... hehe around here that's shorts weather !
ChuckC
i figured someone from minnesocold or a cheesehead would respond...hahaha
Yeah, but on the reverse, I melt pretty quickly in the heat.
Later
ChuckC
Brock- Man that is a righteous set up. But a little advice. You talk like your a big guy. I'm 6'0 and 260. The Jackson ain't the way to go. The Native is much better for big guys and gear. You won't regret the Native.
6'2 barefoot...250 now but working my way back down to fighting weight of 225 :)
i am definitely leaning towards Native Slayer...